The 2018 Volunteer Vacation is off to a great start! We have had a fantastic time working on the Sendero Pacifico Trail in San Luis de Monteverde, Costa Rica for the past three days. AMC volunteers have been sweating it out and battling the bugs, all while installing wooden check steps, water bars, and even…

By Erik Samia and Amanda Peterson Does the colder weather have you day-dreaming about sunny climates? Read on to learn more about the AMC’s ongoing partnership in Costa Rica with the Sendero Pacifico, and find out how you can get away on a trails volunteer vacation to Costa Rica this coming January/February! Although Costa Rica…

Monday Oct. 30th, 2017. The rain gauge filled for the second time in 24 hours. With relentless howling, the 60 mph gusts of wind find their way through the cracks of windows and doors. The lamp flickers one last gasp of light before fading to dark. My phone, which is perpetually on silent, grabs my attention with…

January 2018 join us in Costa Rica as we help with storm recovery efforts on community trails after Tropical Storm Nate’s severe flooding and erosion. These AMC Volunteer Vacations combine adventure, community service, recreation and a cultural experience you will never forget! The program runs for eight days, with two travel days, one free day,…

With the door completely off, the lap belt holding me to my seat seems like a far cry from something that would actually save me in an emergency. The helicopter’s rotator blades accelerate, shifting from a rhythmic to a constant spin, as we effortlessly start to ascend. Ten feet, 35, 50,…

The New England Trail was lucky enough to have not one, but three of AMC’s teen trail crews working on the trail this summer. The last crew finished up their time on the trail earlier this month, but before they left the teens and the Southern New England staff took the time to tell us…

Seth King, BCT Projects Coordinator Imagining a traditional AMC Trail Crew, visions of a dirty backcountry bunch, living deep in the woods with only a radio, a few tents, an arsenal of hand tools and hefty food rations probably come to mind. Daily life for an AMC volunteer crew on the Bay Circuit Trail doesn’t…

While some crew members are beginning to think about packing their bags to head back to college or their winter seasonal jobs, others are looking forward to the fall trail season. It’s time to find those warmer sleeping bags, and unpack the long underwear stored away at the end of last winter. The New England…

By Alex Sabido and Ryan May, AMC/NH JAG Crew Leaders Over four weeks this summer, the Berlin, NH Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) students worked together with the Appalachian Mountain Club, reconstructing trails and accomplishing a variety of goals. JAG is a high school program that provides opportunities and job experiences for students to further…